Tandemania

Well, we've been training for this century coming up in September for awhile now. Way back in May when I signed us up, I looked up all kinds of training plans for comfortably completing a century. They were basically 10 or 12 week plans where you gradually increase your mileage such that you could do a 60 or 75 mile training ride. If you can get to that point, the little bit extra on the day of the big ride would be easy.

Of course this was in May so we had plenty of time... You know where this is going don't you.

The weather this summer has been really rainy so it was very tough to get rides in. Not to mention that there just isn't time during the week. This was going to be a struggle. We have been gradually building up the ride length but it's slow going. Last week we put a long one in and by the time we got back to Uxbridge, it was really hot. I "bonked" - ran out of energy on the last bit up the hill to the house and just about died. That was only 40 miles. I think the cause was not enough water and not enough electrolytes.

Early on, I had started looking into energy replacement stuff. The newest thing is a carbo gel that comes in little packs that you rip open and squeeze into your mouth. I had no idea what they were like but I bought a box of those and tried them on one ride. It tasted like cake frosting which is kind of a weird thing to eat when you are tired and thirsty. It was hard to really tell how well they worked precisely but I seemed to feel better during the ride and not so blown afterward. I then decided to try Cliff Bars. They seem to get pretty good reviews for taste, energy, and being relatively good for you. I picked one up at a bike store in the middle of a ride and man, it was great! It tasted good and it was something to chew and "eat" as opposed to simply swallowing the energy goo. What I hadn't gotten though was any kind of electrolyte replacement drink. The gel and the bars have salts in them but I guess not in the quantity that you sweat out so I think that had something to do with the "bonk".

Anyway, after the ride, I happened to notice a spot on the tire where the casing was showing. I went online and bought a new tire and also some Cliff Shot sports drink mix and some more Cliff Bars. I also got a new pair of sunglasses. The ones I had been wearing continually slip down my nose and don't sit on my face evenly. It's risky buying glasses without seeing how they fit but I took a chance.

The stuff arrived on Friday - yesterday - so we took a ride - about 25 miles - after work. The glasses fit great and were a joy! I didn't put the new tire on because it would have taken an extra 15 - 20 minutes and I figured I could get a few more miles out of the current one.

Today, we got up at about 7 to either ride if it was not rainy, or go to an aerobics class if it was. Well, the streets were kind of wet but it was clear and getting hot so we got on the bike. I again opted not to put the new rear tire on the bike...

We planned out a ride of about 45 miles. Here's the ride laid out at MapMyRide.com




We were going along pretty good until right at mile 30. BAAM! The rear tire blew. Yup, right where the worn spot was, the tube blew through the torn casing. Guess I should have replaced that tire. Blown tubes are no big deal - they happen all the time and we have a patch kit and spare tubes to fix them. Blown tires on the other hand are not good. You can't just put a new tube in there because, a tube at around 115 PSI will just squirt through the hole in the tire and blow again. The jury rig fix for a torn tire is to use a dollar bill to "boot" the tire - line the inside to prevent the tube from coming through. The fabric of the bill - folded over - is strong enough to keep the tube from coming through - theoretically.

We are basically out in the middle of nowhere so I guess we'll have to try that. We could call Carly and have her bring the new tire but let's just see if we can fix this. Open up seat bag to get tire levers to remove the tire - no levers. Oh yeah, Kyle takes them and puts them in his bag when he goes for a ride alone - Argh!. OK, I guess we call Carly. Get cell phone from plastic bag in my pocket. Hmm, the screen is blank. Press button - "Battery drained, Shutting down" it says before going dark again. I repeat this to Deb and she smiles her wry smile - "I guess we are walking then."

Just then, an elderly man comes out of a small house and he walks over to us holding a tiny baby turtle that he says he raises in his backyard. Hmm, OK, "Um, we've got a mechanical problem with the bike, do you think I could use your phone to call someone to help us?" He says "Sure, just let me take this little guy down to the pond."

He comes back and leads me into his house as I'm trying not to drip all over the place. I call home and get the machine. "Pick up Carly, pick up!" Nothing. I call the neighbors but get their machine as well. I then try Monique Cote since they have a phone number that is very easy to remember (I have everyone's phone number - on my cell phone that is dead).

She answers thankfully, finds a spare key to son Nate's truck and says she will pick us up. We agree to meet at the vacant lot of a burned down restaurant that we passed about a mile or two back. I thank Ma and Pa Kettle and head back out to Deb who, by this time, has been supplying sustenance for all the mosquitoes in the forest. We start walking back toward the restaurant to wait for Monique. She shows up not too long after we get there, we load up the bike in the back, and head back home.

At home, after I put the new tire on the back, Deb asks if I want to continue the ride. It's kind of hard to get back in the mood but we really didn't get the full ride in so I say OK. Just then, the sky opens up and, in full sunshine, pours for about 5 minutes. We look at each other, shrug, and get on the bike and head out.

It's not really raining but the roads are wet and the spray coming up from the tires is soaking us. The rooster tail from the front wheel is mostly blocked by the downtube of the bike but as I make small steering corrections, the wheel swings out from under the tube and throws the stream up which hits me in the chin. Mmmm, tasty! Deb, of course, has what we know looks like a skid mark all the way up her back from the stream off the back tire.

We stop in Douglas at a little coffee shop for some ice coffee. This is the new "carrot" for Deb. We have to stop for ice coffee about halfway through the ride to give her "a purpose". I now know that's the reason she suggested continuing the ride - she hadn't gotten her ice coffee.

In Douglas, we decide to try a different route to loop back home. Neither of us knows Douglas however so we end up thoroughly lost taking random roads that "seem" like they will take us the right way. Eventually, we find some familiar roads and complete the loop, adding another 15 miles for a total of 45.

I spend the next two hours cleaning and re-lubing the bike.

Despite the setbacks, we feel pretty good about our progress. We are no longer totally spent after a ride of this length (although my neck and shoulders are sore) so we are thinking we might just be able to do this. Oh man, I shouldn't have said that...